The quixotic task of keeping politicians from over-spendingIowa HF 297 would require that any money raised from a tobacco-tax increase be used to fund the state's health-care fund. While it's probably a better plan than letting that tobacco money go into the general fund (which just means politicians become addicted to smokers' bad habits), the bigger issue is that big increases in tobacco taxes have the unintended consequence of subsidizing crime.

Song for a bad day at workA delightful little ditty for those days when you've had just about enough of everyone else, plus a whole slew of remixes ("Goose Extended" is the best). It's not the kind of song you ought to pump out loud on the desktop at work, but it's well worth a few minutes of laughter when no one's watching (or listening) over your shoulder.